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by Marjorie Taylor

The last days of summer flew by in a flash for me and it seems that by the time I finally caught my breath, we were already in the beginning of autumn. The leaves are changing, there is a crispness to the air and you can smell the smoke from the neighbor’s fireplace. The markets are giving way to the last little bit of summer produce and are beginning to reflect the season with a showing of heirloom apples, sweet pears, Cinderella pumpkins, quince and wild mushrooms.

Fall, with its change in weather, is the the time to change your kitchen game plan. The season calls for a change in menus that feature much more hearty and substantial fare. I enjoy cooking the classics, roasted chicken with potato purée and sauteed greens, boeuf bourguignon with homemade buttered egg noodles, pork roast with roasted apples and sage and braised rabbit with a creamy mustard sauce. As the weather cools down, there is nothing quite as comforting as a pot of soup simmering on the stove or the aroma of a freshly baked apple tart.

It’s been busy at The Cook’s Atelier. In addition to my cooking classes, I’ve been traveling quite a bit, visiting little villages and learning some regional dishes in the kitchens of local cooks along the way. I’ve also been busy finalizing all of the little, last minute details for my daughter’s wedding. I been traveling from Beaune to Dijon to Grenoble and hit every little village market along the way – sometimes more than once. I spent a day in the Les Halles de Lyon and enjoyed the best fruits de mer I think I have ever tasted. I learned to make génépi des Alpes from my new son-in-law and I showed him the secret to making the best pâte sucrée.

Today was my first visit to the market since I’ve returned to Beaune. Gone are the heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, peaches and apricots. In their place, a beautiful assortment of squash, parsnips and hearty greens. One of the most recognizable vegetables in the autumn market in France is a giant heirloom pumpkin. It is a large, thick-fleshed pumpkin that looks exactly like the original old-fashioned illustrations of the magical coach in the Cinderella story. It is a deep orange-red pumpkin that is flattened in shape with deep lobes that are perfect for slicing. In the French market you simply tell your vendor how many people you will be serving and they will cut just the right portion for you. This is a great pumpkin to use in baking and it also makes a classic puréed soup. In the states, you can find these heirloom seeds by mail order atRenee’s Garden to plant in next year’s garden.

Each year, to celebrate the beginning of the season, one of the first things I bake is pumpkin spice bread. I found this recipe in Food & Wine back in November of 1998 and I’ve b

een baking it ever since. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea on a chilly fall afternoon.There are some little surprises simmering in the kitchen at The Cook’s Atelier. I’m very excited and will be sharing the details very soon.

Preheat the oven to 350o. Butter a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the pumpkin purée. Stir the vanilla into the milk. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions at low speed, alternating with the milk mixture.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.

(Note from HiP: You can also make pumpkin muffins and cakes, just change the pan. And with icing, you have a wonderful dessert)

Tory Hoen

After attending Brown University and spending two years in New York, Tory bought a one-way ticket to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a writer (and of drinking wine at lunch). During her time in the City of Light, she chronicled the euphoric highs and the laughable lows of ex-pat life on her blog, A Moveable Beast. Though she's now based in New York, she travels frequently to Montreal and Brazil, and she'll use just about any excuse to jet to Paris ("I ran out of fleur de sel"). A regular contributor to Hip Paris, Tory also writes for New York Magazine, Time Out New York, and she is a co-author of Gradspot.com's Guide To Life After College. View Website